Bound to Her Will
by fourstarfiction
Summary: As Lavellan tries to prevent Fen'Harel from tearing down the Veil, she learns of the price she payed for drinking from the Well of Sorrows. Unknowingly bound to the Dread Wolf who harbors the spirit of Mythal, she struggles to determine if her will is still her own.
1. Prologue (Trespasser)

**Trespasser (Prologue)**

Yup, another Solavellan fic. Taking this one in a different dicrection than my previous story, with some similarities I guess. Prologue is from my previous fic, covering and embellishing events in Trespasser. Enjoy!

Valla raced through the Crossroads with Blackwall, Iron Bull, and Cole close behind. They had gone through so many eluvians Valla could no longer tell where in the Crossroads they were. The shattered elven towers and ancient paintings were beginning to blur together, and having finished fighting off another wave of hostile Qunari, navigation was the furthest thing from their minds. Growing weary, their pace began to slow as they trudged up another set of stairs.

"Why did those Qunari attack the Inquisition on sight?" Valla asked.

"Hmm." Iron Bull scratched his chin, "My people never act without orders. A commander in the Qun must have given them."

Blackwall looked alarmed, "Are you saying the entire Qunari nation wants us dead?"

"Who knows?" Iron Bull shrugged, "It's times like this I wish I hadn't burned all my contacts in the Ben-Hassrath."

"Well then," Valla said jokingly, "Who wants to tell Josephine, Leliana, and Cullen that we are probably at war with the Qunari now? Anyone?" she groaned, "They are going to kill me."

Iron Bull let out a frustrated grunt. "This doesn't make any sense! My people have no reason to go to war with us! They have left the South alone for so long and things are finally getting back to normal. Why now?"

"I take it going to war against your countrymen is the last thing you want to do." Blackwall inquired.

"It would not end well for anyone." Bull's voice filled with dread, "Believe me."

A mural on the tower wall caught Valla's attention. In the style of the ancient elves, it depicted an man wearing a wolfskin, the beast's head covering his face. With an outstretched hand, the man appeared to be removing the vallaslin from freed elves. She could not take her eyes from it.

"That's Fen'Harel...removing Dalish vallaslin?" Without thinking Valla raised her hand, tracing the invisible lines where her own markings once were. Her voice was solemn, "Solas said they were used to mark slaves."

"Ar lasa mala revas." Cole said quietly, "You are free."

The phrase stung in Valla's ears. She did not need to be reminded of the last time she heard those words. "Cole, please don't-"

His gaze remained fixed on Valla. Though she was accustomed to Cole's curious manner of speaking, his face was more telling, as if he knew something he could not admit.

"You are so beautiful."

Valla's eyes widened as the thought dawned on her. She turned back to the painting, focusing on the image of Fen'Harel, trying desperately to see through his mask. If everything she had been taught about her people's history was wrong... "It couldn't be." her voice barely a whisper. A knot twisted in her stomach as Leliana's final report on Solas came to mind. _Whoever Solas truly is, wherever he came from, he has deceived us from the very start._ She could not bring herself to believe it.

"Cole," Valla said more clearly, "Do you think he's-"

"A slow arrow breaks in the sad wolf's jaws." Cole replied, "He wants to give wisdom, not orders."

Valla cried out as the Anchor flared on her hand, jolting her out of her thoughts. The flares becoming more frequent, the eerie light growing steadily up her arm each time.

"That looked painful." Blackwall said, worry written on his face. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Valla said through gritted teeth. "Let's keep moving." None of this would matter if the Anchor were allowed to grow unchecked.

Moving on, Valla tried to ignore the concerned glances of her friends. With a potential war against the Qun looming, along with threats working from within the Inquisition and the Anchor growing ever more unstable, she could hardly blame them for worrying. And now she was plagued with only more questions. She could not get the image of Fen'Harel out of her mind. She couldn't bring herself to believe that it was something other than coincidence. The Dread Wolf was not the malevolent trickster she had been taught. If he was truly the liberator of the elven people, it would change everything.

* * *

Solas strode through the shattered library of Vir Dirthara. Once a sanctuary for any who sought wisdom, it pained him to see it in its current state. He took a moment to look upon the ancient books and scrolls still resting on the shelves. "So much knowledge lost." he muttered. There was so much he could restore. The chance to rewrite history, to replace the false and biased accounts of the humans with fact, to remove the shadowed fables and half-truths behind Dalish legend. To reveal their _true_ heritage, Solas thought, that alone would be worth the reshaping of the world.

He winced as he felt a surge of magical energy radiate through the library. Though it was only for an instant its effects lingered, a silent echo resonating through the broken halls. Solas knew there was only one source capable of creating such power. His heart grew heavy. He could only imagine how much pain the Anchor was causing Valla. The fact its power could be felt this far into the Crossroads troubled him greatly. He knew it was only a matter of time before it would consume her, only a matter of time before she found him. How could he explain that this had always been her fate, that only he could have bore the Mark and lived? She deserved so much better, so much more than he had to give.

But he could not let his concern for Valla distract from his task. The Qunari were close on his heels, relentless in their hunt for the so-called agent of Fen'Harel. Solas doubted they would accept the far simpler truth of who they were truly hunting, if they knew.

With a casual wave of his hand a group of spirits appeared before him. Once the guardians of this place, Solas required their services once more.

"Atish'all vallem." the spirit said. Shimmering in a haze of violet light, it shouldered it's weapon. "Fen'Harel elethadra. Nuvenas mana helanin, dirth bellesa ma."

Solas couldn't help but smile. Even after a millenia, the spirit still asked for the Dread Wolf's passphrase. "Ar-melana dirthaveren." Solas replied, "Revas vir-anaris."

The spirit nodded in approval. "Amae lethellas."

"These halls are in need of their guardians once more," Solas said, "Let none pass."

Solas quickly moved on, knowing the Qunari would not allow him to take pause for long. Putting a halt to their plans remained his priority. The thought of the Qun spreading into southern Thedas sickened him. Though Solas knew their doom would come in time, they deserved better than a life devoid of free will. It was the least he could do for the people of this world gone wrong. As he began to plan his next move, he found his thoughts straying, returning to her. It had been two years since he had last seen her face, yet he could recall it so clearly. He had done his best to commit it to memory before the inevitable day he had to leave Valla behind. He would never forget how she would brighten at the discovery of some ancient mystery, the gentle melody of her laughter, how the absence of her vallaslin made her eyes shine brighter...

Solas cursed at himself. This was the reason he kept his distance, why he dared not even search for her in the Fade. Even the mere memory of her could cause his plans to unravel. He had vainly hoped that the passage of time would cause her to fade from his thoughts, but to no avail. Solas wondered if Valla knew how much she still held sway over his heart, that if he had not left her when he did, he would have exchanged her betrayal for his own. He did not know which was worse. When Valla eventually found him, would he be able to at last tell her the truth? Would she believe him?

More importantly, would it matter?

(These translations were hard to find and somewhat varied. This was the best I could come up with.)

 _Atish'all vallem. Fen'Harel elethadra. Nuvenas mana helanin, dirth bellesa ma._

(Some sort of greeting) If you want help/if you are here to help, say your password."

 _Ar-melana dirthaveren. Revas vir-anaris._

I come in peace to the unwaking realm. I enter time for the promise. There is freedom along the path of years.

 _Amae lethellas._

Kinsman/Clansman

* * *

 _"...struck at the tower. A great sizzling bolt out of a blue sky. Spirits emerged from a statue of a wolf, as if the lightning woke them, and they appeared to be looking for someone. The only word I understood was "Fen'Harel." They did not see me, but beware, they attack any guards who..."_

 _"The walls of blue flame were created by the agent of Fen'Harel as he ran through this place bringing chaos and destruction. Do not light fires from them. Do not go near them. Fen'Harel's mage-servant made them to hamper us, and they bring only death."_

Having safely returned to the Winter Palace, Valla stood over a slew of papers spread across a long table. Messages she salvaged from dead Qunari, as well as reports from her own agents. It was all troubling. Gatlock powder found smuggled into the palace by elven servants, her own spy network infiltrated by unknown assailants as well as the Qunari, who accused them of serving Fen'Harel. And still the Exalted Council loomed like an oncoming storm. Ferelden would see the Inquisition dismantled entirely, while Orlais would see them leashed for their own gains. Valla could feel her position slipping out from under her as she tried desperately to make sense of the situation. Though preventing another war and preserving the Inquisition were the more significant issues, Valla found herself picking up a message she'd found carefully hidden in the library of Vir Dirthara.

 _"Beware the forms of Fen'Harel! The Dread Wolf comes in humble guises, a wanderer who knows much of the People and their spirits. He will offer advice that seems fair, but slowly turns to poison. Remember the price of treason, and keep in your heart the mercy of your gods."_

Solas had been right all along, Valla thought bitterly. They were never gods, only mages corrupted by their own power. No better than the ancient Magisters who sought to enter the Golden City, turning it black with their pride.

 _A wanderer who knows much of the People and their spirits._

Solas' final words to her echoed in her thoughts, "No matter what comes, I want you to know that what we had was real. I hope in time, you will understand."

"Vhenan," Valla whispered, not realizing the words as she spoke them, "Is this what you meant?"

Like a floodgate giving way to raging waters, she could not deny it any longer. She had unknowingly given her heart to the Dread Wolf. Yet it was not anger or fear that followed the revelation, but an utter sense of grief. A hollow acceptance. It answered much, but also raised more questions. What they had was real, even now she did not doubt it. If his intention was to spare her from more heartache, or perhaps simply to spare himself, Valla knew he had failed.

"Solas," she wished in vain he would hear her, "if you had just told me..."

"Excuse me, Inquisitor." an Orlesian servant approached, pulling Valla way from her thoughts, "Forgive the intrusion, but your advisers are asking for you. They say it is urgent."

Valla heaved a weary sigh, "Thank you." The demands of the Inquisitor did not allow her time to dwell on what could have been. In truth she was grateful for the distraction, though she sensed their news would be grim.

Arriving in their makeshift war room, Valla sensed tension in the air. "Thank you for meeting with us so quickly, Inquisitor." Leliana said. "My agents have confirmed there are also gatlock barrels in Denerim's palace. They have also been spotted in Val Royeux and across the Free Marches. It appears the Winter Palace is not the Qunari's only target."

"The Qunari are one order away from destroying every noble house in the known world." Cullen replied grimly.

"Of course the news is bad." Valla smirked. Despite everything, she couldn't help but at least try to ease the tension, "And here I thought you were planning a party in my honor!"

Her humor was only met by silence, and Cullen nervously clearing his throat.

"There is a bright side." Josephine sounded strained, yet refined as ever, "Warning the ambassadors will remind them of the Inquisition's value."

"Not when the Inquisition is responsible for that threat." Leliana interjected.

Valla's eyes flew open, "They came in through us!"

"Yes." Leliana kept her voice down.

Valla however, could not control her frustration, "How, damn it?"

Leliana's tone remained even, "The elven servant handling the barrels confessed to working for the Qunari."

"But the servant was Orlesian!" Josephine exclaimed, "That implicates Orlais, not us!"

"But the gatlock barrels arrived at the Winter Palace on the Inquisition's supply manifest." Leliana said.

Cullen let out a disgruntled breath, "How are we supposed to fight a war when we can't even trust our own people?"

"The Inquisition stopped Corypheus and saved the world." Valla reminded them, "We cannot let an outside threat change who we are."

Josephine's calm demeanor began to unravel, "I fought to protect the Inquisition from this Exalted Council...and for what? So we could deceive and threaten those we claim to protect?"

Cullen attempted to ease her concerns, "Once we locate the spies-"

"This isn't about the spies!" she cut him off, "You hid the Qunari body. You've all but seized control of the Winter Palace!"

"We did what was _right_." Cullen growled, "Not what was politically convenient at the time."

Josephine rounded on him, "Do you know what this has cost us with Orlais and Ferelden? They are planning to dismantle us as we speak! And perhaps they are right to do so!"

Valla screamed as the Anchor erupted in a searing blaze. She clutched at her arm, trying hopelessly to keep the light from spreading. A cold sweat enveloped her, and the advisers quickly ceased their squabble.

"Damn it!" Valla took a trembling breath,"The Mark is...I thought it was fine. It's been under control for years. We save Ferelden, and they're angry! We save Orlais, and they're angry! We close the Breach _twice_ , and my own hand wants to kill me! After everything we have done, they still treat us like monsters." She looked at her advisers, her friends, helplessly. "I...I don't want to die."

Silence fell over the three advisers as their concerns turned to their leader. "Inquisitor-" Leliana started.

"I'm going to the Darvaarad." Valla had heard enough, "I'm putting an end to this insane plot once and for all. You all can argue amongst yourselves once I'm..." her voice faltered, "...once I'm back." Though she hoped she would live to see this through, Valla couldn't help but doubt.

"Thank you, Inquisitor." Leliana said gratefully.

"Do you want us to inform the Council of the danger?" Josephine asked.

"Yes." Valla replied, "They need to know what will happen if things go wrong."

The thought that this could be the Inquisitor's final hours put the advisers own problems into perspective, and they quickly united. "I will handle the Council, Josie." Leliana said, "You have been put through enough already."

"I will ensure we have a full guard around the palace." Cullen added, "Nothing is getting in or out under our protection."

Valla nodded and turned to leave, giving them all a slight smile. She could think of no words to say to them, already knowing the people of Orlais could be in no finer hands.

Leliana smiled at her in return, "Maker be with you, Inquisitor."

* * *

At last the giant Saarabas was dead. Valla and her companions took a moment to collect themselves.

"Well," Iron Bull heaved a breath of relief, "That was certainly a fight I won't soon forget."

Rubbing her aching hand, Valla turned her attention to the eluvian in front of them. "Solas has to be through there." she muttered, more to herself than the others.

"He knows we are here." Cole said quietly, "He wants to help."

"Do you want us to come with you?" Blackwall asked.

Valla shook her head. She knew this was one thing she needed to do alone.

Iron Bull clapped a hand on Valla's shoulder, "Good luck, Boss. We'll be waiting here if you need us."

Valla smiled at her friends. She could think of no words to say at a moment like this. Unsure of what awaited her on the other side, she silently stepped through the mirror.

The other side revealed a beautiful landscape of cliffs and waterfalls. Even more elven ruins glittered in the distance. Valla gasped. The Qunari that followed the Vidasalla loomed in front of her, weapons raised, all turned to stone. But before she could think, she found herself running towards the sound of a familiar voice.

Two figures standing in front of an enormous eluvian came into view. One was the Vidasalla, gripping her spear. The other a man, wearing armor reminiscent of the ancient elven sentinels, a wolfskin slung over his shoulder. He spoke to the Vidasalla in Qunlat, but there was no mistaking his voice.

"This isn't over!" the Vidasalla shouted.

"Your forces have failed." Solas said, "Leave now and tell the Qunari to trouble me no further."

Solas turned his back as the Vidasalla let out a war cry and raised her spear. Unable to see the flash of light in his eyes, she froze before the spear left her hand. Turned to stone like the others. Valla moved closer as he began to walk away.

"Solas."

To hear her voice again after all this time, it was almost more than he could bear. Solas looked over his shoulder. She was still the same, still beautiful, with eyes the color of storms. Though he could see the toll the Anchor had taken on her. She looked weary.

Valla stumbled as the Anchor flared again, yet she continued moving forward. Solas turned to meet her, eyes flashing a brilliant blue light. As the light faded, the Anchor too subsided.

"That should give us more time." Solas said to her, "I suspect you have questions."

Looking upon him after all this time was overwhelming, but Valla felt the final pieces fall into place."The Qunari answered some of those questions. The information I found while traveling through the eluvians answered more." her voice was grim, "You're Fen'Harel. You're the Dread Wolf."

Solas looked at his love with resignation, "Well done." he said softly. At last there were no more illusions between them. "I was Solas first, Fen'Harel came later. An insult I took as a badge of pride. The Dread Wolf inspired hope in my friends and fear in my enemies." he smiled slightly, "Not unlike Inquisitor, I suppose. And now you know..." He was unable to hide the grief in his voice, "What is the old Dalish curse – may the Dread Wolf take you?"

Valla sadly shook her head at the irony, "And so he did."

"I did not." Solas countered, "I would not lay with you under false pretenses."

"But you _lied_ to me." the words sounded bitter as she spoke them, "I loved you. Did you really think I wouldn't have understood? Was pushing me away worth the price of hiding who you truly are?"

"I have asked myself the same question, and to this day I still do not know the answer." Solas bowed his head, "Ir abelas, vhenan."

" _I'm_ not." Valla said fiercely. Noticing the sorrow in his eyes, her conviction fleeted. Her grief and anger wrestled for what felt like an eternal moment. In the end, it was her own sorrow that emerged. "All this time you kept this from us, you kept this from _me_." her voice breaking, "If you had just told me..."

"Then you would carry the same burden as I do." Solas said.

"This became my burden after the Conclave was destroyed." Valla answered, remembering what the Vidasalla had revealed. "I know you gave your orb to Corypheus. Whatever it was you intended -" she raised her marked hand, "- you made it my burden."

Solas looked wounded, her words cutting like a dagger in his chest. It still pained him to know she had paid the price for his mistakes, that the result his pride was now killing her. "It was never supposed to happen this way." Solas answered heavily, "Corypheus should have died unlocking my orb. When he survived, my plans were thrown into chaos. When you survived, I saw the Inquisition as the best chance this world had of stopping him." he sighed bitterly, "I did not foresee a Tevinter magister having learned the secrets of effective immortality."

Hearing the truth behind the events that changed her life filled Valla with doubt,"Is that all I was to you? The means to an end?"

"My heart," Solas reached for Valla's outstretched hand with his own. "You are and always will be so much more. For you have done the one thing I thought nothing in this world could. You have caused me to doubt. I thought I understood this world. The beauty and subtlety of your actions has shamed any knowledge I thought I possessed. Never doubt that the love I have for you is real."

Though Valla feared the answer, she needed to know the truth, "What would have happened if Corypheus had died, and you reclaimed the orb?"

"Had events gone as intended," Solas replied, "I would have entered the Fade using the mark you now bear, then I would have torn down the Veil. As this world burned in the raw chaos, I would have restored the world of my time, the world of the elves."

Valla looked at him in disbelief, "You would destroy everything we fought so hard to save?"

"You must understand," Solas explained, "When I first awoke into this world, I found it more strange and foreign than anything I could have dreamed. With the Veil blocking most people's conscious connection to the Fade, it was like walking through a world of Tranquil."

"We aren't even people to you?" Valla asked.

"Not at first." Solas answered honestly, "You showed me that I was wrong...again. So much of our people's legacy has been lost because of what I did to strike the Evanuris down. But even now, some hope remains for restoration. I will save the elven people, even if it means this world must die."

"Solas, whatever you want, this world dying is not the answer." Valla pleaded.

"Not a good answer, no." Solas agreed, "Sometimes terrible choices are all that remain. In any event, you should be more concerned about the Inquisition. Your Inquisition."

Valla couldn't help but laugh, "Is it really mine? We have been infiltrated by those who would see us destroyed."

"You have created a powerful organization." Solas replied, "And now it suffers the inevitable fate of such. Betrayal and corruption."

"It's not that simple." Valla retorted.

"Do you know how I discovered the Qunari plot?" Solas asked, "The plot I disrupted by leading them to your doorstep? The Qunari spies in the Inquisition tripped over _my_ spies in the Inquisition."

Valla frowned, "Why bother helping us stop the Qunari plot if you are going to destroy the world regardless?"

"Because I am not a monster." Solas said, "I would see those recovering from the Breach free of the Qun. If these people are to die, I would rather them die in comfort."

She met his eyes with disbelief, "I never thought of you as someone who would do this, Solas. If you see value in this world, isn't that enough?"

Solas gently drew her towards him. Valla moved closer in return, sinking into his arms, wrapping her own tightly around his shoulders. To have her in his arms, it was a feeling Solas had dared not hope to know again. "If things had been different, I would have kept you in my embrace only for myself. With you by my side, I would have shown you the wonders of all the worlds. I would have told you that I would rather spend a day at your side than living an eternity without you, because I love you."

As their lips met, Valla allowed herself for a moment to forget. For she knew as soon as she left the warmth of his embrace, the world would once again fight to tear them apart. She wanted to forget the Inquisition. She wanted to leave the endless fighting behind if it meant she could stay by his side. For one fleeting instant she allowed herself to believe the world Solas could create would be better, if only for the reason they could at last remain together.

"Let me help you, Solas." she said as they parted.

"I cannot do that to you, vhenan." he said softly, His arms lingered around her, prolonging the inevitable.

"But you would to it to yourself?" Valla pleaded, "I cannot bear to think of you alone!"

Reluctantly Solas stepped away, "I walk the dinan'shiral." he answered sadly, "There is only death on this journey. I would not have you see what I become."

Valla knew it was foolish to hope as she felt her heart break one more time, "And I would not see you live the rest of your life in solitude."

"It is a fate I would not wish upon anyone." Solas said, "But it is what must be done. I swore long ago that I would restore my people, no matter the cost."

"I still don't understand," Valla said, "Why does this world need to end in order for the elves to return?"

Solas smiled, "You have always shown a curiosity I've admired. It would be easy to tell you too much. Just know that the return of my people means the destruction of yours. And that I take no joy in what I must do."

"You don't need to destroy this world. I'll prove it to you."

"I would treasure the day I am proven wrong once again." Solas said, "Until that day comes, I will do what I must."

Valla knew at least for now, there was little she could do to change his mind, "There is still the matter of the Anchor. It's getting worse."

"I know, vhenan." Solas answered sadly, "And we are running out of time."

As if the Anchor could hear his words it erupted again, causing Valla to fall to her knees. Solas knelt beside her, taking her in his arms one last time. "The Mark will eventually kill you." he said, "Drawing you here gave me the chance to save you, at least for now."

Struggling to fight through the pain, Valla looked into his eyes. They mirrored her own, reflecting her own grief, her own yearning for things to have gone differently. Her own longing for a different world.

"Solas," she pleaded, " _Var lath vir suledin_!"

The words were like a knife in his heart, "I wish it could, vhenan." He lowered his head to kiss her one last time. "My love." His eyes flashed for an instant, one last attempt to save her. Knowing he had done all he could, Solas stood and made his way to the eluvian, to the path he knew she could not follow.

"I will never forget you."

 _Var lath vir suledin_

Our love can endure/overcome this


	2. Chapter 1

Bound to Her Will

Chapter 1

"We pledged to close the Breach, find those responsible, and restore order, with or without anyone's approval. It wasn't a formally authorized treaty that saved Ferelden's people. It wasn't careful diplomacy that ended Orlais' inane civil war. It was never about the organization, it was about people doing what was necessary. And now, something far worse is coming. So if you'll excuse me, I have a world to save. Again." -Inquisitor Valla Lavellan

Valla trudged through the Arbor Wilds alone. Pushing through the dense growth of the forest, there was urgency in her steps. The Well of Sorrows had spoke to her. _Find what the Dread Wolf seeks,_ it had said. _Find the Orb._ Valla suspected Solas would find another way to bring down the Veil, he had made that clear in their final meeting. What she did not understand was how Mythal's Well knew this. Though she could not explain it, Valla felt as if the Well somehow knew his intentions. Valla had thought the Vir'Abelasan was simply a source of knowledge, but there was a fervor in which it spoke that made her question what she knew. It was a voice ever present in the back of her mind, a call she felt compelled to answer. It only raised more questions.

In a small clearing Valla took view of her surroundings. The wilds were still pristine, the battle the Inquisition fought here had scarcely left a mark on the land. If anything of that fight against Corypheus remained, it had already been swallowed by the forest. Valla raised her metal arm above her head, shielding her eyes from the sun beating down through the break in the trees. Imbued with magic, it had been her final gift from those who served the Inquisition, a replacement for the arm she had lost, destroyed by the Anchor. Valla's eyes turned to the shimmering scar in the sky, a reminder of what could have been. To her, it was a warning of what might come to pass.

"Solas." his name escaped her lips. "How can I show you this world is worth saving?"

Every night she dreamed in the Fade, searching for him. Every night he eluded her. There was only ever the faintest presence in her dreams of someone watching her from across an endless distance. The presence was always just out of reach, vanishing every time she got too close. Valla knew it was him, and it broke her heart.

Her thoughts turned to the matter at hand as she approached her destination. The Temple of Mythal had too remained unchanged. The statues and murals of the elven gods remained, aged but beautiful. It relieved her to know their fight against the Elder One had little impact on the ancient temple. Walking through the petitioner's chambers, Valla was struck by eerie silence of the place. There seemed to be no sign of the sentinels, though she knew that didn't mean they weren't there.

As she searched, the statue of Fen'Harel caught her eye. Almost out of view unless one searched, it loomed unassumingly over the chamber. Valla laughed quietly to herself, remembering how she and Morrigan tried to understand why a depiction of the Dread Wolf would be in such a place. She rememberd how quickly Solas dismissed their assumptions. A bitter irony.

"Aduran atishan, da'len." a voice cut through the silence, "It appears fate has brought you to this place once again."

Valla turned to see Abelas standing behind her. Just as the temple, he too remained unchanged. "It does not surprise me that you would return here." he said, "I am certain you still have many questions."

It was the reason why she returned to the temple. "I do." Valla said, "Much has happened since the last time I was here."

"Indeed." Abelas replied, "With the Vir'Abelasan no longer in need of protection, my sentinels and I have been free to follow the events of this foreign world." he shook his head sadly, "It is frought with as much death as the world I remember."

"It will be frought with more if you cannot help me." Valla said urgently.

"You are correct. We know what Fen'Harel intends to do." the ancient sentinel's voice was grim, "To restore the world as it was before."

"Do you agree with his plans?" Valla asked.

Abelas sighed. Wearily, he walked towards the statue of the wolf. "Like myself, Fen'Harel is from a world lost to time. My people achieved much, my time was filled with magic and wonders this world could never replicate. But to restore that world, he would unleash only more death upon this one."

"So you would see it saved?" Valla asked, "Even though it is foreign to you?"

"My people are part of a distant past, our time has come and gone." Abelas answered, "And that is how it should remain."

Valla told Abelas of what the Well had said to her. How it wanted her to find the Orb the Dread Wolf sought. "But I do not know how the Well would know what he is after." she said, "I came here in hope you could help me understand."

"The knowledge the Vir'Abelasan obtains comes with the price of being bound to the will of Mythal, you know this." Abelas said.

"Are you saying it is Mythal's will for me to find this Orb?" Valla asked.

"The Mythal my people knew is dead." Abelas frowned, "If any semblence of her remains, I doubt she would have the strength to interact with this world."

Valla's heart sank. She did not have the heart to tell him that Mythal had endured, carried through the centuries in the body of a fabled witch. She could not tell him that without her help, this world may not still exist.

Her silence was telling, and the sentinel's face turned to concern. "If Mythal remains, if the Vir'Abelasan is truly telling you to do her will, I fear for you."

Valla felt her stomach churn.

"If it truly is Mythal who wishes you to find this Orb, it may be that she seeks to help you. Her goals may be the same as your own, to preserve this world. Though I would not be certain of this."

"Please, hahren." Valla grew fearful, "What do you mean by this?"

"Mythal was betrayed." Abelas said, "She was murdered by her own brethren in their lust for power. It is the reason why Fen'Harel banished the gods from the world. It is why our people fell, why our world is no more."

Valla remembered what Flemeth had told her about Mythal, " _Things happened that were never meant to happen. She was betrayed as I was betrayed, as the world was betrayed. Mythal clawed and crawled through the ages to me, and I will see her avenged._ "

"By the gods..." Valla whispered, "...she wants to end this world as well."

"Cry havoc in the moonlight, that the fire of vengeance burn." Abelas said sadly. An old elven prayer to Mythal.

She thought of what Solas had told her after she drank from the Well, " _Whatever you do whether you know it or not, it will be for her_."

"No." Valla shook her head wildly. "My will is still my own. I can still stop this. I _have_ to stop this!"

"I admire your tenacity." Abelas said, sadness still lingered in his voice, "And I hope what you say is true."

"Please," Valla begged, "Do you know anything of where this orb might be?"

"What you seek is the Orb of Mythal." he replied, "It once resided in this temple. We sentinels kept it safe during the fall of our world. But as time weakened us it was stolen, taken to the Tevinter Imperium centuries ago. That is all the knowledge I posess."

Valla was filled with gratitiude, "Thank you, Abelas." It was a start, she thought. At least now she knew where she must go.

"I wish you luck and safe journey, da'len." Abelas said as she took her leave, "And may the Dread Wolf never hear your steps."

Valla formulated a plan as she headed back to her camp. To reach Tevinter she would need safe passage across the sea. And to do this, she would need the help of an old friend. As Valla thought and calculated, doubts began to grow in the back of her mind. Was she truly carrying out the will of Mythal and not her own? Was she still trying to save Thedas, or only bringing it closer towards destruction?

* * *

"Inquisitor? Inquisitor!" Solas had shouted. Trying not to allow panick to take hold, he rushed to Valla's side as she lay motionless in the Well of Sorrows. "Valla..." he whispered, kneeling beside her. Her eyes were open, darting wildly to all sides. _Why did it have to be you?_

For once he had agreed with Morrigan. If knowledge was all she wanted, let her pay the price the Well demanded. But Valla, whether it was to reclaim a piece of her people's heritage, or simply a sense of duty, had insisted. Solas suspected it was the latter.

He shook off the memory like a bad dream. Using the eluvians, he too had returned to the Temple of Mythal. Standing next to the now empty Well, its presence filled him with regret.

"The great deciever returns." Out of the corner of his eye Solas saw Abelas approach him. "The People have said Fen'Harel appears in humble guises. Had I known during our previous encounter-"

"You would have betrayed everything I have set to accomplish." Solas cut him off. "The last thing I desire is to be treated like something I am not."

Abelas soured at his abruptness. "Then why have you come here? You know the Vir'Abelasan no longer remains, this place has nothing left to offer."

Solas began to regret his descision to return, "I came to see if your sentinels will aid me. Surely you wish to see our people restored."

Abelas tilted his head at the offer, "That is your purpose? You did not come here seeking your companion?"

The question gave Solas pause.

"She was here not long ago, the woman who drank from the Well. " Abelas said, "She had many questions, some that even I could not answer."

Solas felt his heart leap in his chest. He should have known Valla would come back to this place. "What did she wish to know?" Solas asked.

"She told me the voices of the Vir'Abelasan want her to find the Orb you seek." Abelas stared accusingly at Solas, "She wanted to know how the Well could hold such information. Quite honestly, I myself wish to know how this is possible."

"You know not what you ask." Solas stared defiantly back.

A spark of fury ignited in the sentinel's eyes, "For countless centuries I protected the Vir'Abelasan. Each time this temple was invaded, I watched my brothers shed their blood and die to protect it. Now I have entrusted it to an elvhen who is as foreign to me as the shemlens who rule this world. It was the purpose for which I existed. _You will tell me what you know_."

The defiance in Solas wavered. Perhaps Abelas did deserve an explanation, if only for the purpose of giving him peace, "Mythal and I are now one and the same, that is all you need know." It still pained him, what he had done. That despite his first effort to bring down the Veil, he had utterly failed. He wished he hadn't needed to reach out to Flemeth, to Mythal, to admit he couldn't do what needed to be done with his power alone. He would still be too weak without their aid, but no longer.

"So what Valla said is true." Abelas said, confirming his own fears. "Even Mythal shares in your goal."

"She always did." Solas said quietly, "She knew this world was never meant to be."

"And yet the one bound to her will is intent on stopping you." Abelas replied, "Fate is cruel indeed."

Solas cast a bitter glance at the Well of Sorrows. He never wanted Valla to have any part in this. Even in this he had failed. "Why did it have to be her?" he whispered.

"It is obvious you care for her." Abelas saw the despair in his eyes, "And it would appear her fate is entwined with yours."

Solas silently agreed. Now matter how hard he tried to push Valla away, it was clear that his fight was now hers, whether she knew it or not.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As Valla returned to her camp she was greeted by Iron Bull, Blackwall, and Cole. While all of her friends agreed to come to her aid if she needed it, it was these three who chose to remain at her side. As the Inquisition disbanded and Valla's influence was no longer needed, her friends refused to let her shoulder this burden alone.

"Welcome back, Boss." Iron Bull said. He sounded relieved to see her safe return. "Did you make it to the temple?"

"I did." Valla answered, sitting near the campfire. "Was everything alright here while I was gone?"

Iron Bull and Blackwall exchanged nervous glances while Cole sat quietly behind them.

Valla eyed them suspiciously. "What did you do?" Her tone the same as a mother about to scold her guilty children.

"What? Nothing!" Blackwall stammered, "It's just – well, we have a visitor."

Valla's eyes flew open as a tall woman with raven black hair and piercing yellow eyes emerged from the trees. "Morrigan!"

The witch smiled at Valla's astonishment, seating herself at the opposite side of the fire."Yes, it is I, Inquisitor. Though I suppose that title holds little meaning anymore."

"How on earth did you find us?" Valla gaped at her, "We've had no contact with anyone for weeks."

Morrigan chuckled, "You forget that I have spent most of my life traversing the wilds. I can track as well as any hunter, and it helps when one can take to the air."

"Probably as a bat." Iron Bull muttered.

Morrigan chose to ignore the Qunari's comment, "Though it still did take some time to find you. For one who once had all the eyes of Thedas upon her, Valla, you have certainly turned into a ghost."

In truth Valla had not wanted to be found. She had learned from the events at the Winter Palace that the eyes of Fen'Harel could be anywhere. She knew now the importance of secrecy.

"I'm more concerned with _why_ she is here, not how." Blackwall grumbled.

"She is worried." Cole at last took the chance to speak, "She worries about what will happen to the Veil."

Morrigan turned sharply towards him, "Kindly stay out of my thoughts!" She turned a more composed glance back to Valla, "Yes, I am concerned. More concerned than the rest of Thedas appears to be."

"So I take it you've heard about what happened during the Exalted Council." Valla assumed.

"Oh, it did not take long for word to spread that the great antagonist of elven mythology nearly started another war." Morrigan replied, "And that he works to tear down the very world as we know it." Her expression turned to one of amusement, "I must admit I am impressed, Valla. Of all the people in Thedas to win the Dread Wolf's heart, it's the woman who is most intent on stopping his plans."

"Watch it, witch." Iron Bull growled. Valla's companions knew her relationship with Solas was a sensitive and complicated topic.

However Valla took the comment in stride, "Is this why you came here, Morrigan? To remind me of my terrible luck?"

"Love can be a powerful weapon, my friend." Morrigan insisted, "But no, I am afraid I came here with more troubling news."

Valla and the others looked at her worriedly.

"It is more complicated than how I am about to say it, but I am afraid Flemeth is dead." Morrigan said casually, "Well, as dead as any woman with her unnatural abilities can be."

Valla's mouth fell open. Her companions looked thunderstruck.

"How is this possible?" Valla cried out, "Flemeth is one of the most powerful beings in Thedas! What could it have taken to possibly kill her?"

"That is where it gets complicated." Morrigan appeared more intrigued than upset about her mother's demise. "When I found her body, it appeared she wasn't killed in a traditional sense. Do you remember I told you how Flemeth extends her life by possessing the bodies of her daughters?"

Still floored by the news, Valla silently nodded.

"I have read my mother's grimiore, I learned how this possession is done." Morrigan continued, "What I found matches the results of this possession perfectly. Flemeth's body did not appear normal. It looked like it had turned into a husk."

"So you're saying Flemeth has taken another body?" Blackwall asked.

"I thought she could only posses her daughters?" Valla added, "And you clearly appear to be yourself, Morrigan."

"I am myself, yes." Morrigan answered, "And I am fairly certain I am Flemeth's only remaining offspring."

Iron Bull frowned in thought, "Then what the hell happened to her?"

"That is what I do not understand as well." Morrigan replied. "The only thing that makes sense is that she inhabited another being of considerable power. If that is true, we are delving into a realm of magic that even I do not fully understand."

Valla's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. Though she knew little about this realm of magic either, she had a feeling. "Morrigan." she said slowly, "Where did you find Flemeth's body?"

"Ironically, near the altar of Mythal." Morrigan replied. "Why do you ask?"

Valla began to feel ill as the pieces fell into place. The voices of the Well wanted her carry out Mythal's will by aiding Fen'Harel, and her spirit now resided in someone else, someone powerful.

"No..." she whispered.

 _"Yes."_ a voice spoke in the back of her mind.

Valla looked around wildly as the voice spoke again, _"You finally understand. Fen'Harel and Mythal are now one and the same. To do one's will is to do the other."_

Valla felt the ground sway beneath her and her vision blurred, "Vhenan." she whispered, "What have you done?"

She stared blankly at her companions. She heard them speaking to her, she saw the concern on their faces. But their voices sounded distant, she couldn't respond.

 _"Do you see now, child?"_ the voice continued, _"Finding the Orb will bring you to your beloved. Help him rebuild this world."_

Valla felt someone shaking her. Slowly her surroundings came back into view, her friends had gathered around her.

"Boss?" Iron Bull's hands gripped her shoulders, "Are you alright? Are you still with us?"

Valla took a trembling breath. "Yes, I'm fine." Regaining her bearings, she eased herself to her feet.

"What happened?" Blackwall looked shaken, "You looked as if you were going to collapse!"

Valla took a moment to collect herself. The camp fell silent as her friends watched her nervously. The only sound came from the crackling fire and the wind in the trees.

"The Well...spoke to me again." Valla said, "It told me Mythal's spirit now resides in Fen'Harel."

"You have to be joking." Blackwall muttered.

Valla sadly shook her head. She explained to them what she had learned from Abelas in the Temple of Mythal. "It explains why the Well wants me to find this Orb, how it knows what Solas is trying to do." she said, "Even Mythal wishes to see the world end."

"Well...shit." Iron Bull groaned.

Morrigan appeared fascinated, "If Mythal could transfer her being into another, another one of the Creators would certainly be a worthy candidate. It makes sense, though I cannot begin to imagine how such a thing is done."

"We know so little about the ancient elves and the Creators." Valla said, "If they could create and destroy worlds, we cannot underestimate what else they were capable of."

Morrigan nodded in agreement. Though she said nothing, she continued to watch Valla carefully.

"What do we do now?" Cole finally spoke up.

"Abelas said the Orb we are looking for was taken to Tevinter long ago." Valla replied, "That is where we need to go. I'm certain Dorian can help us, and thankfully I still have the message crystal he gave me."

"So we'll be going to Tevinter?" Iron Bull grumbled. "Great...more Vints."

Blackwall laughed at him, "You should be happy, Bull. You'll get to see Dorian again!"

Valla smiled halfheartedly at their joking. It was difficult to find much joy in the moment, now knowing what she knew. With her friends distracted she took the opportunity to slip away from camp. She needed some time alone.

The moon was full, hanging high over the night sky. Its light made it easy for Valla to make her way through the forest. When the light from the campfire was no longer in view she sat down, leaning wearily against a tree. The quiet of the forest was comforting, and she felt the weight of the world bearing down on her once again.

Valla thought of the last time she saw Solas. She thought of everything he had told her about the Evanuris and what happened to their world. At times it was difficult to imagine it was Solas who had ended their world, that he was responsible for their downfall. The same man who aided her in the fight against the Breach, who gave the Inquisition a home, had done more to change the world than she ever could. He had kept so much from her.

Her vision blurred with tears. If only she could speak to him again.

"He hurts too." a quiet voice spoke from the trees. "He hurts because you are real."

As she wiped away her tears, Valla noticed Cole sitting beside her. She smiled at him weakly, "I should have known you would find me."

"The others wondered where you went, but I already knew." Cole answered.

Valla silently nodded. She suspected Cole could have heard her pain from miles away, to him she must have been easy to find.

"I still miss him, Cole." Valla said softly.

"It still hurts." Cole answered, "An old pain from before, when everything sang the same. When he left, it hurt you both."

"I don't know if what I'm doing is right." Valla said, "Solas needs to be stopped. But how can I trust that I won't betray myself in the end?"

Cole bowed his head in thought,"It pulls from both sides. The Well wants the same as you, but the reasons are different. It tells you one way as you go the other. Pulling, tearing, afraid to be torn. Afraid to know what comes at the end."

With her thoughts in such disorder, it comforted Valla to hear them clearly from someone else. She knew Cole was trying to help.

"You can read my thoughts, Cole." Valla said, "Can you sense if it is the Well that guides me, or myself?"

Cole frowned, "It's hard to say. You are still you, still yourself, but there is something else. Something quiet. It is only loud when it needs to be."

Valla nodded. She had grown used to the cryptic way Cole spoke, though she had hoped for something more reassuring.

"But you are strong, Valla." Cole said, "You always have been strong. And you are not alone."

Valla smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Cole. I am lucky to have a friend like you." Even if she did not know to what end, Valla knew she still had to fight. Her will or not, she knew she must search for the Orb Solas sought. There was little choice.

Valla stood up from the ground, "Shall we head back to camp? I am ready to put this day behind me."

Cole nodded in agreement, but something had distracted him. He silently followed Valla through the forest back to camp, but his eyes remained fixed elsewhere. Watching him curiously, Valla noticed he was looking in the direction of the Temple of Mythal.

"Is something wrong, Cole?" Valla asked.

As their camp came into view she noticed Cole had vanished. Straining her eyes in the dark she could find no trace of him. With exhaustion creeping in, Valla had little choice but to rest. She knew he would return when he was ready. For now she would sleep and dream in the Fade, and continue searching for her love.

* * *

Solas stood at the entrance to the Temple of Mythal. With the moon sinking into the horizon and the sun barely beginning its ascent, his eyes scanned the dimly lit forest. When Abelas told him Valla had recently been to the temple as well, it peaked his interest. He wondered how close they really were. Though it was foolish, he wanted to satisfy his curiosity. Sure enough he caught the faintest trace of smoke rising in the distance, far enough away that he did not fear detection. Knowing Valla was so close made his heart sink.

Solas felt a familiar presence as he heard something disturb the stillness of the woods. "I should have known you of all people would find me here." He turned towards the presence and smiled, "It is good to see you again, Cole."

He watched as Cole appeared before him. "I'm sorry." Cole said, "You did not want to be found."

Solas shook his head, "There is no need to apologize. It is always good to see a friend."

"You are easy to see, even in the dark." Cole's pale blue eyes studied his old friend, "You are much brighter now."

Solas continued to watch the campfire smoke rise from the treetops. Cole clearly sensed his sorrow.

"You want to be with her." he said quietly.

Solas could not deny it. As much as he wanted Valla by his side, even though it hurt him, he dared not reach out to her. Now that she knew of the full extent of the Well's power, he feared he would only cause her more pain.

"She knows she is bound." Cole bowed his head, "Bound to her and to you. The things you both want are the same, to search, to find what was taken, only the ends are different. She wants to stop the world from tearing. She does not know if she is helping or hurting. She calls for you as she dreams. She wants to understand."

His words cut Solas like a knife. Valla knew he harbored the spirit of Mythal, that the Well urged her to do his will. "She does not know if her will is her own." his voice began to break.

"You could go to her." Cole said, "She hurts the same as you."

"If I did that," Solas replied, "I do not think I could leave her again." He turned towards the temple. He had lingered here for too long. "I am sorry, Cole. But I will not let Valla aid me in this."

"But she already does, whether you want her to or not." Cole answered.

Solas stopped. "I know." He looked back at his friend one last time, "Take care of her, Cole. Help her as much as you can."

"I will." Cole promised, "I only wish I could help you too."

Solas smiled sadly at his friend, "I know."


End file.
